White House and Kyiv cooling relations: Intelligence data and Trump's unexpected stance
A period of cooling, unseen for a long time, has begun in US-Ukraine relations. US President Donald Trump once again openly criticized Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of unwillingness to compromise on ending the war.
At the same time, the White House chief shook up the international agenda by revealing that he might approve a proposal to hold a trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
"Zelenskyy doesn't know what he's saying": Washington and Kyiv clash
Trump sharply objected to Zelenskyy's statement that "if Washington supports Moscow, it will be on the wrong side of history":
On missed opportunities: "Zelenskyy is a man who should have settled the war long ago. If he had listened to me, he would have reached a much better deal a long time ago," Trump said.
Call to replace the negotiator: Recalling the tense argument in the Oval Office in February 2025, the US leader emphasized that it is now time for other individuals to sit at the negotiating table on behalf of Kyiv: "Maybe it's time to find someone else for Zelenskyy to conduct negotiations with."
"We give a lot, they give nothing": Touching upon the issue of intelligence and assistance provided to Ukraine, Trump stated that the scale of aid provided by Washington and Kyiv's attitude toward it are disproportionate.
Energy, satellites, and pressure factors
Several important strategic reasons lie behind the cooling of ties between the White House and Kyiv:
Diesel deal and sanctions: Following Trump's phone call with Putin, an agreement allowing Russia to supply diesel to the global market was announced, and a tough sanctions package named after Senator Lindsey Graham was postponed indefinitely;
Ban on strikes against oil refineries: Washington urged Ukraine to stop targeting oil refineries in Russia, while Kyiv states that the energy truce was broken by Russia itself;
Starlink and intelligence disruptions: Ukrainian officials note that difficulties are arising in military operations due to delayed information on missile strikes from the US and slowed speeds of SpaceX's Starlink terminals installed on drones.
Trump, Putin, and Xi Jinping: Will there be a trilateral summit in Shenzhen?
According to Wall Street Journal sources, Vladimir Putin has put forward an initiative to organize a separate meeting of the US, Chinese, and Russian leaders on the sidelines of the APEC summit to be held in Shenzhen, China, on November 18–19:
Kremlin's reaction: Dmitry Peskov confirmed that all three sides acknowledge the possibility of such a meeting, but the agenda has not yet been formed;
Trump's condition: The US president expressed readiness for the meeting if Xi Jinping takes the initiative: "We would hold this meeting to discuss nuclear weapons, disarmament, and trade issues, rather than Ukraine";
Ukraine's objection: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha issued a strict warning that such a format without Kyiv's participation would not end the war, but rather encourage the Kremlin to continue the invasion;
Beijing's caution: According to a Washington Post analysis, China is taking a cautious stance on agreeing to a high-profile trilateral summit that would draw the forum's focus, in order not to jeopardize its relations with the European Union.
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